Summary

Durning the semester we have been able to examine such a wide range of works that all seem to fit under the umbrella of social, political and relational art.
For me, the interesting thing about all these different projects is how varied they are, be it in the medium (Laibach-Tv and concerts, Studio Orta-sculpture, Rirkrit Tiravanija-installation), the process (use of 'traditional' art-forms-sculpture, installation, performance- or unconventional ones - operating within governmental institutions or seemingly non-art related organizations) or the outcome (visible/tangible or not.
The single most connecting element that relates all of these works seems to be the notion of micro-topias, or creating interpersonal relations on a small scale rather than expecting to change the whole world with one work. When we started this semester, I could not see how most of the works we were studying were any different from previous works like those created by performance artists (i.e Marina Abramovic, or movements (i.e Fluxus)in the 60's and 70's. But now, I guess that it is the idea of micro-topias that sets relational works apart from those of socially oriented art practices of the 20th century.